Prabowo Eyes 'Ubi Bombing' to Fight Wildfires: What Is It?
Prabowo Subianto has floated a tuber-based fire suppressant as an alternative to water bombing, calling for tests and large-scale production.
President Prabowo Subianto has floated the idea of creating a fire suppressant made from tuber-based flour as a possible alternative to water bombing in Indonesia's fight against forest and land fires. This proposal came up during a coordination meeting on fire management in South Sumatra on Monday, where Prabowo questioned the National Disaster Management Agency about the possibility of using a substance more effective than water to smother fires.
During the meeting, National Police Chief General Listyo Sigit Prabowo mentioned a previously developed flour-based material made from tubers like cassava, which could help prevent fires and put them out early. Prabowo expressed interest in testing this material and urged officials to conduct large-scale production and submit a budget proposal for its development.
He jokingly referred to the concept as "ubi bombing," suggesting it could be deployed in large quantities via helicopters or aircraft to reach fire-affected areas.
The president emphasized that Indonesia should continue exploring technological alternatives to enhance its response to forest and land fires. Currently, the government relies on helicopters for water bombing operations to combat fires in South Sumatra. Prabowo instructed officials to assess the situation on the ground and request additional support when necessary. For now, the ubi-based fire suppressant remains a proposal that needs further research and testing before its potential use on a larger scale can be determined.
Written by urgent.news from Tempo.co English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
